Abstract — Temporal adaptations in generic and population-specific quality of life and falls efficacy in men with recent lower-limb amputations

1SHAPE Research Group, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK; 2Discipline of Exercise and Sport Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; and Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, UK; 3Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia

Abstract — This study examined the longitudinal changes in generic health-related quality of life (QOL), prosthesis-related QOL, falls efficacy, and walking speed in men with lower-limb amputations up to 6 months following discharge from rehabilitation. Seven male unilateral transtibial amputees completed the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire, and the Modified Falls Efficacy Scale at 1, 3, and 6 months postdischarge from rehabilitation. Walking speed was also recorded to objectively assess participants– mobility. Health-related QOL measures displayed increases, resulting in large effect sizes though not reaching statistical significance. Prosthesis-related QOL measures indicated that scales relating to the participants– prostheses improved and the support of significant others was the most positively scored variable. Walking speed increased by 0.12 m/s, although it was not significantly related to indices of QOL or falls efficacy. Falls efficacy did not improve significantly during the study period, although it was strongly related to QOL (p < 0.05). These results provide a novel insight into how QOL and falls efficacy develop in people with lower-limb amputations, alongside changes in mobility, after discharge from rehabilitation. Further improvements in physical health following discharge may be required to elicit subsequent increases in overall QOL and concurrent improvements in falls efficacy.

This article and any supplementary material should be cited as follows:Barnett CT, Vanicek N, Polman RC. Temporal adaptations in generic and population-specific quality of life and falls efficacy in men with recent lower-limb amputations. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2013;50(3):437–48.http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2011.10.0205